South Guwahati West Water Supply Project in FebMAMATA MISHRA GUWAHATI, Jan 1 - After a prolonged delay and constant shifting of deadlines, the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) is finally ready to commission ten per cent of its South Guwahati West Water Supply Project.

The GMDA has written to the Jal Board to complete the process of individual connection, which is the final step for launching the project. Initially, 5,000 households will be covered in the first phase of the project that roughly covers an area from Jalukbari Chariali to Bhootnath. Once started, this will be the first of the four ambitious projects in Guwahati taken up by the government to provide affordable, safe, reliable, 24X7 meter-regulated water supply to the citizens with adequate pressure.

“We are fully prepared to launch the South Guwahati West Water Supply Project to cater to 5,000 households and the Jal Board has been asked to call the applications and install meters. The entire process will not take more than 40/45 days. We are positive about starting the project in mid-February,” Ashok Singhal, Chairman GMDA told The Assam Tribune. “We are working in close coordination with the Jal Board and they have also expedited the process at their end,” he added.

The water supply project is being constructed with financial assistance from the Government of India under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). The entire project aims at catering to around 5.83 lakh people in west Guwahati at the rate of 135 litres per capita per day (LPCD).

The first DPR of the project was submitted to the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) for clearance under the JNNURM in December 2007 for an amount of Rs 398.48 crore. The project has a revised administrative approval of Rs 389.53 crore.

The project was awarded to Gammon India Limited, a leading construction company in India, whereas Tahal Consulting Engineers are the project management consultants for this. Under the project, the South Western Guwahati Metropolitan Area will be supplied water from a new 107-MLD water treatment plant located near Sadilapur, Guwahati.